Ring binder



Aug. 13, 1929. A. G. LOTTER R-ING BINDER Filed March '7. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet Adolph ELmt-tr 192?); v LOTTER 1,724,407

'L RING BINDER Filed'maron '7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED sra'rss ADOLEH G. LOTTER, F MILWA.U KEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TOH. C. MILLER COIJI- IE'ANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFW'ISCONSIN.

RING BINDER.

Application filed March '7, 1927. Serial No. 173,560.

The conventional ring binder construction consists of a back memberhaving cover members pivotally connected therewith and between which theloose leaves or sheets are disposed, being secured in place by two ormore retaining rings having various means permitting their separationfor the removal or addition of the leaves, and in which types of bindersa follower member of fiber or other relatively stiff material engagesthe outermost sheets. In actual use, the cover members are engaged neartheir free ends to close them on each other, the sheets are likewiseclosed on each other, when divided as is most generally the case andinstead of the sheets freely sliding on the retaining rings to cometogether at the outermost portions of the rings, they frequently bind onthe side portions of the rings tearing the stock outwardly of theapertures in addition to hindering the full closing of the binder.

. This difficulty is obliterated when the inner ends of the leaves areraised upwardly on the rings as the divided leaves are closed on eachother and it is an object of this invention to provide means forfacilitating the handling of a binder so that the leaves readily slideon the rings as they are closed on each other to prevent tearing of theleaves and to facilitate the closing of the binder.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improvedbinder of the character described in which the cover members are soconnected with the back that closing of the same on each otherirrespective of where they are grasped slides the leaves on the rings toprevent their binding thereon.

In the conventional type of ring binder wherein the cover members have afixed piv-' otal connection with respect to the back, the distance fromthe opposite ends of the cover members when spread i such that theirends extend beyond the leaves a distance considerably greater than thatwhen closed on each other and, as a the result, the binder requiresconsiderable space when open and this invention has as a further objectthe provision of an improved binder of the character described whichoccupies less space than the conventional type of binder of like sizewhen opened.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a binderof the character describ d w i h the cover m rs ha e extensibleconnections with the back'to permit movement of the cover member innerends close to the back when in full open position and outwardlytherefrom when the cover members are closed.

And a still further object of this invention resides 'in the provisionof an improved binder in which the cover members each have a pluralityof hinged members connecting the same with the back and means wherebythe hinge members vare prevented from straightening or passing deadcenter to prevent their ready collapsing as the cover members areopened.

, With the above and other'objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel con- 'struction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise'embodim'ent of theherein-disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope 'oftheclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated two complete examplesof the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest modes I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ring binder embodying my invention,thebinder being illustrated in open position and a por tion of theleaves being broken away; 7 Figure 2 is a side view of the binder inclosed position; V. Y

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the binder back with the cover closed.

Figure 4c is a View similar to Figure 3 illustrating the binder aspartially open;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a slightly modified form of myinvention, and

Figure 6 is an end view ofthat form of binder illustrated in Figure 5and illustrating the same as fully open.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in whichlike numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5designates the back of a inder which is of approximately ellipticalshape and tubular to receive the mechanism,

not shown, mounting a plurality of spaced retaining rings 6 adapted tosplit at a point 7 t pe m t t e eng g ment thereover of a plurality ofloose leaves or sheets 8 which are apertured at 9 to receive the rings.The outermost portion of the back 5 is preferably provided with acovering or binding 10 and covers 11 are connected with the back to movefrom a closed position with the sheets 8 therebetween to the openposition illustrated in Figure 1.

Heretofore, in the conventional type of ring hinders, the cover membershave been pivoted directly to the backs 5 and when opened their outerends projected beyond the ends of the sheets 8 a distance equal totheirnormal degree of projection when closed plus the distance from theinner ends of the leaves when on the outer portion of the rings and theback 5, making an unusually wide spread. In closing the covers of aconventional ring binder with the leaves divided as illustrated inFigures 1, 4 and 6, the leaves tend to bind on the inner portions of thecurves of the rings and unless extreme care is exercised, the portionsof the leaves inwardly of the apertures are torn.

The present construction removes this ob jectionable feature and cutsdown the de gree of projection of the cover members beyond the leaveswhen in open position and consists of hinge constructions 12 connect ingthe covers with the back and each including two parts 13 and 14pivotally connected at 15, the part 13 having its outer end piveted at16 to the adjacent marginal edge of the back 5 and the part 14 havingits outer end pivoted to the inner end of the adjacent cover 11, as at17. Rigid with each cover and extended inwardly beyond the pivot 17 isan extension or part 18 having elongated slots or apertures 19 throughwhich the retaining rings pass, the parts either being integral with thecover members or similar to the conventional follower employed in ringbinders, in which case they are riveted or otherwise secured tothecovers, as at 20.

Assuming the binder is open as illustrated in Figure 1 with the body ofleaves or sheets 8 divided, the dotted lines 21 indicate the additionaldegree of opening the conventional typeof binder assumes. When thecovers are grasped near their outer ends in closing the binder, theinner ends 22 of the parts or followers 18 engage the inner curvedsurfaces 23 of the back 5 and the hinges 12 extend causing the covermembers inner ends to move away from the back in the manner illustratedin Figure 4, sliding the inner ends of the leaves over the rings 6 byapplying a pressure thereagainstat their inner ends and preventing thenormal tendency of the sheets to bind about the innermost portion of therings.

To insure the proper collapsing or folding of the binder as illustratedin Figure 2, means are provided to prevent the pivots 15 passing into orbeyond a line drawn through the pivots 16 and 17, this means in thepresent instance being accomplished by making the rings 6 of such adiameter that their outermost portions are in line with or extend beyondthe side margins of the back so that the position the hinges 12 assumewhen the binder is closed is as il lustrated in Figure 3.

In Figures 5 and 6 a slightly modified form of my invention isillustrated in which the hinges 12 are replaced by a gusset-or otherflexible connection 24:, in which case in closing the binder the coversare engaged near their inner ends so that the lifting action imparted tothe parts 18 by the hinges 12 is imparted thereto by the closing actionof the hands.

While in the description and claims the members 11 are referred to ascovers or cover members and the followers 18 as parts extending from thecover members, it is to be understood that the members 11 may be of'theconventional type and the follower members used in the larger style ofring members such as the visible record type may be provided with thehinge'members 12, so that the hinged construction isentirely concealedand the exterior is that of the conventional binder.

lVhat 1 claim as my invention is:

1. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried therebyandysheets havapertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, and extensible means connecting the covermembers with the'back, said extensiblc means concealing the rings whenthe binder is closed.

2. In binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, extensible means connecting the covermembers with the back, and means connected with the cover members forsliding the sheets upwardly on the retaining means as the cover membersclose on each other.

3. In a binder includinga back, retaining rings carried thereby and.sheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are rec ed,cover members for the sheets, parts rigid with the cover members andhaving openings re ei'ving the retaining rings and adapted to slide thesheets up on the retaining rings as the covers are closed on each other,and extensible means connecting the cover members with the back.

1. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which theretaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, and hinged means connecting the covermembers with the back whereby the inner ends of the cover members havemovement away from the back as they close on each other, said inner endshaving engagement with said rings to slide the sheets outwardly on theretaining rings.

5. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, parts rigid with the cover members andhaving openings receiving the retaining rings, and hinged meansconnecting the cover members with the back whereby the inner ends of thecover members have move-- ment away from the back as they close on eachether to slide the sheets outwardly on the retaining rings.

6. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,follower members engaging the outermost sheets and having aperturesthrough which the retaining rings are re ceived, and hinged meansconnecting the follower members with the back whereby the inner ends ofthe follower members have movement away from the back as they close oneach other to slide the sheets outwardly on the retaining rings.

7. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,follower members engaging the outermost sheets and having aperturesthrough which the retaining rings are received, and multiple hingedmeans connectin the follower members with the back whereby the innerends, of the follower members have movement away from the back as theyclose on each other to slide the sheets outwardly on the retainingrings, said rings assuring the collapsing of the hinged means as thefollower members are moved to open position.

8. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andloose sheets having apertures through which the retaining rings arereceived, cover members for the sheets, a follower member engaging eachoutermost sheet and having apertures therein through which the retainingrings pass, and means connecting said follower members to the covermembers whereby closing of the cover members on each other causes thefollower members to slide the sheets up on the retaining rings so thatthey come together without tearing the apertures therein.

9. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets and engaging said rings, a two-part hingemember connecting each cover member with the back, the outer marginaledge of one hinge part being connected with the adjacent cover memberand the outer marginal edge of the other hm ge part being connected withthe adjacent edge of the back, and said provided with apertures throughwhich the retaining rings pass, a two-part hinge member connecting eachcover member with the back, the outer marginal edge of one hingepartbeing connected with the adjacent cover member and the outermarginal edge. of the other hinge part being connected with the adjacentedge of the back, and said hinge members being collapsed with theirintermediate hinge joints outwardly when the cover members are openedand said cover member followers causing the sheets to slide on theretaining rings as the cover members close on each other.

11. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, followers carried by the cover members andprovided with apertures through which the retaining rings pass, atwo-part hinge member connecting each cover member with the back, theouter marginal edge of one hinge part being connected with the adjacentcover member and the outer marginal edge of the other hinge part beingconnected with the adjacent edge of the back, said hinge memhere beingcollapsed with their intermediate hinge oints outwardly when the covermembers are opened and said cover member followers sliding up on theretaining rings as the covers are closed on each other, the ar rangementof parts being such as to prevent the passing of the intermediate pivotsof the hinge member parts beyond dead center when the covers close,whereby collapsing of the hinge members, when the cover members open, isassured.

12. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andsheets having apertures through which the retaining rings are received,cover members for the sheets, followers carried by the cover members andprovided with apertures through which the retaining rings pass, atwo-part hinge member connecting each cover member with the back, theouter marginal edge of one hinge member part being connected with theadjacent cover member and the outer marginal edge of the other hingemember part being connected with the adjacent edge of the back, saidhinge members collapsing with their intermediate hinge joint outwardlywhen the cover members open and said cover member followers sliding onthe retaining rings as the covers open and close on each other, and thediameter of the retaining rings being such as to prevent passing of theintermediate pivots of the hinge member parts beyond dead center whenthe covers close, whereby the collapsing of the hinge members, when thecover members open, is assured.

13. In a binder including a back, retaining rings carried thereby andloose sheets having apertures through which the retaining rings arereceived, cover members for the sheets, said cover members havingportions engaging said rings whereby closing of the cover members oneach other causes the sheets to readily slide on the retaining rings andprevent their binding thereon with the inner ends separated, meansconnecting the cover members with the back, said means concealing therings when the binder is closed.

14. In a binder including a back, sheetretaining means connecting thesheets with the back, cover members for the sheets, follower meanscarried by the cover members and having connection with said retainingmeans, and means connecting said cover members with the back in suchmanner as to prevent longitudinal twisting of said follower means.

15. In a binder including a back, sheet retaining means connected withthe back, cover members, follower members associated with the covermembers and having sliding connection with said retaining means, andmeans connecting said cover members with the back, said last named meansbeing arranged for parallel movement and presenting resistance totwisting movement in said follower members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

ADOLPH G. LOTTER.

